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(The Imperial Sacrifice)
A CURIOUS incident followed the bridal of Draupadi. The five sons of Panda
returned with her to the potter's house, where they were living on alms
according to the custom of Brahmans, and the brothers reported to their mother
that they had received a great gift on that day. "Enjoy ye the gift in
common," replied their mother, not knowing what it was. And as a mother's
mandate cannot be disregarded, Draupadi became the common wife of the five
brothers.
The real significance of this strange legend is unknown. The custom of
brothers marrying a common wife prevails to this day in Thibet and among the
hill-tribes of the Himalayas, but it never prevailed among the Aryan Hindus of
India. It is distinctly prohibited in their laws and institutes, and finds no
sanction in their literature, ancient or modern. The legend in the Maha-bharata,
of brothers marrying a wife in common, stands alone and without a parallel in
Hindu traditions and literature.
Judging from the main incidents of the Epic, Draupadi might rather be regarded
as the wife of the eldest brother Yudhishthir. Bhima had already mated himself
to a female in a forest, by whom he had a son, Ghatotkacha, who distinguished
himself in war later on. Arjun too married the sister of Krishna, shortly after
Draupadi's bridal, and had by her a son, Abhimanyu, who was one of the heroes
of the war. On the other hand, Yudhishthir took to him self no wife save
Draupadi, and she was crowned with Yudhishthir in the Rajasuya or Imperial
Sacrifice. Notwithstanding the legend, therefore, Draupadi might be regarded as
wedded to Yudhishthir, though won by the skill of Arjun, and this assumption
would be in keeping with Hindu customs and laws, ancient and modern.
The jealous Duryodhan heard that his contrivance to kill his cousins at
Varanavata had failed. He also heard that they had found a powerful friend in
Drupad, and had formed an alliance with him. It was no longer possible to keep
them from their rightful inheritance. The Kuru kingdom was accordingly
parcelled; Duryodhan retained the eastern and richer portion with its ancient
capital Hastina-pura on the Ganges; and the sons of Panda were given the
western portion on the Jumna, which was then a forest and a wilderness. The
sons of Panda cleared the forest and built a new capital Indra-prastha,
the supposed ruins of which, near modem Delhi, are still pointed out to the
curious traveller.
Yudhishthir, the eldest of the five sons of Pandu, and now king of
Indra-prastlia, resolved to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice, which was a formal
assumption of the Imperial title over all the kings of ancient India. His
brothers went out with troops in all directions to proclaim his supremacy over
all surrounding kings. Jarasandha, the powerful and semi-civilised king of
Magadha or South Behar, opposed and was killed; but other monarchs recognised
the supremacy of Yudhishthir and came to the sacrifice with tributes. King
Dhrita-rashtra and his sons, now reigning at Hastina-pura, were politely
invited to take a share in the performance of the sacrifice.
The portion translated in this Book forms Sections xxxiii. To xxxvi. and
Section xliv. of Book ii. of the original.
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